The concept of treating water with chemicals such as chlorine or bromine to kill bacteria is old in the art. One of the methods of dispensing bacteria-killing chemicals into the water is to use a dispersal valve that allows a portion of the water to flow through the water soluble chemical which is located in a single compartment within the dispersal valve. Typically, a chemical such as chlorine or a metallic compound such as silver is used to kill the bacteria.
The prior art further includes devices that hold two solids and separately dispenses the dissolvable solids into the water as shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,027. The patent shows a water treatment apparatus having two separate compartments each for holding a dissolvable solid chemical therein. Once the chemicals are dissolved they are allowed to flow into a storage tank.
Still another apparatus for dispensing two different chemicals is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,656 which shows a multiple chemical feeder for swimming pools. The feeder has a first compartment for holding a canister containing a solid chemical and a second compartment for holding a collapsible container having a liquid chemical dispersant The solid chemical is dissolved and dispensed by flowing water through it. The liquid chemical is dispensed by exerting pressure on the outside of a collapsible container to force the liquid chemical out of the dispenser and into the system. The chemicals are maintained separate from one another until they are introduced into the fluid stream. In the present invention the one portion of a bifurcated fluid stream flows through a canister holding a chemical dispersant and the other portion flows through a canister containing minerals which kill algae and bacteria to provide a system where the levels of the chemical dispersants can be maintained at a lower level without raising the level of bacteria in the system. After passing through the canisters the bifurcated stream is reunited and then directed into the liquid stream flowing through the dispersal valve.
The present invention allows one to use a prior art single compartment dispersal valve to hold nestable canisters wherein two different materials can be separately dissolved and simultaneously dispersed into a bifurcated fluid mixing stream with the bifurcated fluid mixing steam subsequently combined into a single stream for delivering the chemical and minerals dispersants into the liquid stream through a single dispersal valve. The nestable canisters are placeable within existing dispersal valves that normally contain only a single canister.
The nestable canisters provide for multiple water treatment in a single step by providing one canister that can dispense a dispersant such as chlorine and a second nestable canister that contains minerals such as an improved algaecide to provide both bacteria killing and algae killing capability from a dispersal valve that normally dispenses only a single dispersant at a time. The invention further includes an improved bactericide and algaecide comprising a zinc carrier having a silver coating which is located in an acid absorbing bed of limestone. The zinc and silver inhibit bacteria and algae while the limestone neutralizes acids formed during the water treatment process. The combination of the chemical treatment and the mineral treatment provides a treatment system that lowers the necessary amount of chemical in the pool as the bacteria is killed by contact with the minerals in the second canister.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,027 shows a water treatment apparatus having two separate compartments each for holding a dissolvable chemical therein. Once the chemicals are dissolved with water the dissolvable chemicals are allowed to flow into a storage tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,387 shows a water purification system that uses charcoal granules impregnated with silver ions to kill bacteria.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,247 discloses a composition for bacterial treatment of water that uses a combination of a carrier with a layer of elemental silver on the carrier. The silver is released by the mechanical interaction of adjacent particles. The silver and carrier are located in a filler material that reduces the rate of release of the silver into the fluid stream.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,783 shows a system for the control of algae where the water is forced through staggered holes located in a set of zinc disks.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,192 shows a method for treating fluid to remove dissolved chlorine and nitrates by passing the water through a metal particulate matter such as aluminum, iron, steel, zinc, copper or mixtures and alloys thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,387 discloses an in-line dispersal valve with a canister keyed to the dispersal valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,196 shows a dispenser with three chambers to obtain uniform and controlled release of the calcium hypochlorite.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,116 shows a canister that contains two dissimilar metals that are spaced from one another with one of the metals being silver to produce a simple voltaic cell that release silver ions into the water as the water flows between the two dissimilar metals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,185 shows a system for dispensing a chemical into a fluid stream and for determining how much of the chemical has been dispensed into the fluid stream.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,219 discloses a dual chamber water filter with a metallic filtration particulate located in the inlet chamber and a charcoal filtration particulate located in the outlet chamber with the metallic filtration particulate positioned so that water flows upward through it to reduce compaction of the metallic filtration particulate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,983 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,315 to King disclose a dispersal valve with a canister for dispensing a water soluble chemical into a fluid stream.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,656 shows a multiple chemical feeder for swimming pools that has a first compartment for holding a canister containing a solid chemical and a second compartment containing a liquid chemical. The solid chemical is dissolved by flowing water through it. The liquid chemical is dispensed by exerting pressure on the outside of a collapsible container to force the liquid chemical out of the dispenser and into the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,369 discloses a method of treating water to kill bacteria using a silver catalyst, which comprises aluminum matrix with silver deposited thereon and the aluminum matrix and the silver having been heated between 750xc2x0 C. and 1050xc2x0 C.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,107,456 discloses a portable water treating system where a bed of germicidal filter material that has an activated carbon filter stacked on the germicidal filter material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,245 shows a liquid purification system using a biocatalyst formed by wet processing silver oxide, zinc oxide and lampblack.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,865 discloses a process of coating a sterilizing filter material comprised of particulate silver material such as sand with metallic silver for sterilizing water.
Briefly, the present invention comprises nestable canisters for use in dispersal valves that normally hold only a single canister with the nestable canisters suitable for replacing single canisters that disperse a chemical with a first canister disperse to a chemical dispersant and a second canister to bring the water in the valve into contact with bacteria killing minerals in the second canister. The dual canisters permit simultaneously but separate treatment of a temporarily bifurcated fluid mixing stream flowing through the set of dispersal valve ports that are normally used for dispensing only one chemical dispersant into a fluid mixing stream flowing through the dispersal valve. In addition the nestable canisters are provided with an improved bactericide and algaecide for killing bacteria and algae in the water.